nuclear-news

China opting for expensive nuclear reprocessing technology

The commercial reprocessing of plutonium was halted in the United States decades ago by President Jimmy Carter because of concerns about nuclear proliferation. President George W. Bush proposed a resumption, but the National Research Council found it to be not economically justifiable. President Obama scrapped the Bush proposal.

China Ready to Reprocess Nuclear Fuel, NYTimes.com, By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: January 3, 2011 * BEIJING  — Chinese scientists have mastered the technology for reprocessing fuel from nuclear power plants,……..Reprocessing nuclear fuel costs significantly more than using the fuel once and storing it as waste. It also raises potential questions, because extracted plutonium can be used to make nuclear weapons, although China has long had a nuclear arsenal.

The commercial reprocessing of plutonium was halted in the United States decades ago by President Jimmy Carter because of concerns about nuclear proliferation. President George W. Bush proposed a resumption, but the National Research Council found it to be not economically justifiable. President Obama scrapped the Bush proposal.

Wang Junfeng, project director for the state-run China National Nuclear Corporation, told CCTV the Chinese scientists had employed a chemical process that was effective and safe. CCTV said the country now had enough fuel to last up to 70 years and the new technology could yield enough to last for 3,000 years.

CCTV says the details of the process the Chinese scientists developed after 20 years’ work are being kept secret…..

China Set to Reprocess Fuel From Nuclear Plants – NYTimes.com

January 4, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | China, technology